Fans of Nebraska volleyball had to go another year tending to their heartache. Despite an incredible regular season, John Cook’s mentees failed to make their mark in the NCAA Championship beyond the semifinals. With the Huskers seniors being forced to exit the Lincoln campus without a national trophy to their name, it looks like former Nebraska stars are resorting to various coping mechanisms as they go on to their next adventures.

Outside hitter Merritt Beason has had a stellar run with the Nebraska squad, despite becoming a Huskers player only in 2023. Proving her salt at Florida for two years before signing up with one of the country’s top volleyball programs, Beason is a popular name among collegiate volleyball fans. And now, as she begins her professional journey, it seems like the Alabama native has become dependent on caffeine to help her keep going.

Pro Volleyball Federation’s Atlanta Vibes drafted No. 1 overall pick Beason for the 2025 season. With the pro volleyball scene booming in the USA in recent years, fans were eager to see how the exiting NCAA stars’ next career phase would pan out. Unsurprisingly, the Nebraska star found her new camp at one of the PVF’s most scintillating sides. And now, in her latest social media update, Beason shared what is helping her to match the speed of her new life.

In her recent TikTok upload from January 4, the AVCA All-America First Team 2023 honoree revealed how coffee is like a lifeline for her right now. In the brief video clip, Beason shared with her fans what her daily life looks like now as a pro volleyball player. “…the caffeine addiction is getting bad again,” the ex-Nebraska volleyball star admitted.

As if it wasn’t bad enough, Beason further noted that her new base in Georgia is dotted with several appealing coffee shops, which is only inducing her dependency further. In the accompanying video, Beason can be seen hanging out with her pet dog in the morning as she goes for her daily coffee runs. Returning home, she can be seen making her breakfast and then heading to training. But as Merrit Beason settles down in her new shoes, she will need to do so quickly because she will soon be facing stiff competition from some familiar faces.

Former Nebraska volleyball stars to make Beason’s life a challenging one

In November last year, former Nebraska and USC volleyball star Ally Batenhorst was drafted by the 2024 PVF winners, the Omaha Supernovas. Just hours after that, the inaugural PVF winner announced that Huskers OH Lindsay Krause will also be joining the roster for 2025. With their reunion in order, the Supernovas are looking like a formidable team already. The San Diego Mojo picked up the Huskers’ Leyla Blackwell as the 26th overall pick in the fourth round of drafts. With so many of her former teammates en route to lend their expertise to her foes, Beason will need to pull up her socks as soon as she can to give her new team the edge over her former teammates.

However, Merritt’s superiority remains undoubted, as she was the top pick for this year’s PVF drafts. With 1359 kills and 771 digs accumulated throughout her career, spanning over both Florida and Nebraska, it’s easy to understand why Beason is considered one of the most emphatic athletes in the USA at the moment. Moreover, 116 service aces also showcase why the OH was on the radar for the top PVF teams in her final collegiate year.

With USA Volleyball extending its support to the pro volleyball scene, the professional circuit is expected to grow further, and the inclusion of electrifying collegiate stars like Batenhorst, Beason, and others ensures that the fans are given their money’s worth. So which ex-Huskers star are you most excited to watch in action as the country’s most beloved pro volleyball action returns for a second year? Tell us below!